APS Wessex
Drug and Alcohol Testing Services
There are a number of ways in which APS Wessex can support your business in its Drug & Alcohol Policy application.
Drug and Alcohol Testing in the Workplace
Reactive
This is when there has been an accident or incident, or when an individual is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. APS Wessex can attend your site or elsewhere on a 24/7 ‘Call Out’ basis. Our target attendance is within 2 hours.
Proactive
Working with the customer be attending site by prior arrangement and testing individuals randomly selected.
Monitoring
Attending site at pre- arranged times to test individuals who may be on a programme of testing to support them whist on a programme of rehabilitation.
We use a strict ‘Chain of Custody’ method when testing an individual (Donor). A Chain of Custody is essentially a contemporaneously recorded process detailing the identity of the donor together with their proof of identity such as a Government issued photographic document like a Passport or Driving licence or other acceptable document or even confirmed by a Supervisor or Manager.
Depending on the customer needs there are several methods that we use in the process.
Drug and Alcohol Testing and DNA Sampling - Family Law & Immigration Cases
APS Wessex can support Solicitors and legal practitioners who are dealing with Family Law or Immigration cases. Appropriate samples can be taken from clients as directed by the Courts and the necessary reports can be prepared by experts for use by the legal professional.
Why should you have a Drug & Alcohol at Work Policy?
As an employer you have a legal duty to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all your employees. Equally, you are under a duty to protect the health and safety of visitors to your premises, as well as anyone else who may be affected by the work undertaken by your employees.
The use of drugs and alcohol has the effect of significantly impacting a person’s ability to perform their everyday duties, leading to reduced productivity, and posing a significant health and safety risk for themselves and others. By having in place a policy relating to drug and alcohol misuse, this can not only help to deter excessive or illicit use both inside and outside of work, but allow you to communicate to your workforce what support can be offered.
Breath/Alcohol
We use Home Office approved breathalysers. The donor provides a sample of their breath and the screening device will measure and display the level of alcohol in their breath. Should the result be at or in excess of the level determined by the customers Drug & Alcohol policy a second breath test will be carried out in the presence of a witness .The final result will be recorded on the Chain of Custody form. If required a printout can be provided.
Drug Testing
Point of Care Testing (POCT) The donor is requested to provide an acceptable sample of urine or Oral Fluid that they supply into a POCT cup. The urine is then analysed for a variety of drug types. If the sample is deemed to a non-negative test then the sample would be required to be sent to one of our UKAS laboratories for confirmation analysis and reporting.
Laboratory Analysis
There are customers that require urine/oral fluid samples to be collected from the donor and not screened on site but sent directly to one of our panel of UKAS laboratories for analysis and reporting rather than a POCT.
Hair Samples
This is where a sample of hair, usually from the head, is harvested and sent to the laboratory for analysis. This form of test can look for long term alcohol or drug use.
DNA Samples
A sample of oral fluid or hair is collected and sent to one of our laboratories for analysis. Please contact us to discuss the type of DNA profile that you require.
Peth Blood Testing
Phosphatidylethanol Testing (Peth) is the most conclusive blood/alcohol test available for determining an individual’s level of alcohol consumption whether it be chronic/moderate/low or abstinence.